Tigray Youth Association sponsored this Rapid Needs Assessment aiming at collecting data on the overall conditions of youth in Tigray. The information generated through the assessment will inform Tigray Youth Associations’ programming and projects, which will be designed considering the actual concerns, needs, and problems of the youth. To this end, semi-structured survey questionnaires, FGDs, and Key Informant Interviews were used to generate qualitative and quantitative data. The study identified females, rural males, youth with disabilities and mental health problems, injured veteran youth, and student youth as the most vulnerable youths in Tigray. The deliberate large-scale gender-based violence and physical assault during and post-war time, wartime injuries, inhumane treatments, and economic deprivations have crippling effects on the most vulnerable youth groups. The study revealed that the most vulnerable youths enduring psychological and mental health problems, and physical impairments and injuries are undergoing economic, social, and political hardships. The interaction of trauma, stress, physical injury, joblessness, and lack of functioning government, which is leading to pervasive youth hopelessness, is not only affecting their current state of affairs but also their future ambitions and aspirations. The findings of the survey indicated that unemployed youth are the vast majority (81%) of the youth surveyed. The economic collapse, plunder of assets and sale of assets during the war, and lack of functioning government are some of the reasons underlying the staggering youth unemployment. Furthermore, the majority, 66 percent, of the youth respondents indicated that they have no political goals or aspirations. Low youths’ political ambition is attributable to the restrictions of authorities on youth civic engagements in fear of the emergence of more competent political contestants. Authorities actively discourage youth engagement to conceal their maladministration and corruption. The youth also lack the firm political will and courage to influence government authorities to open up the youth civic engagement space. 

 

Likewise, the overwhelming majority, 78 percent, of the youth have no goals or aspirations to continue their education. FGD study confirmed the propensity of the youth- enrolled above 8th grade before the war- to education sharply declined for different reasons. Persisting war-inflicted psychological trauma and stress, graduated youth unemployment and inflated cost of education and poverty are attributable to declining youth propensity to education. Moreover, the vast majority (86%) of single youth have no intention or aspiration to build a family through marriage in the coming three years. This may be attributable to the pervasive youth hopelessness induced by war-inflicted mental trauma and high youth unemployment. Youths’ aversion to marriage may also be attributable to the region’s economic, social, and political conditions, which are less likely to improve shortly. Still, to come a considerable, 40 percent, portion of the youths are likely to cross the border in search of a better way of life and opportunities in the developed world. Specifically, the region will lose nearly 4 out of 10 and 6 out of 10 youths that are in their early and prime working ages respectively. Generally, the assessment identified a lack of good governance and bureaucracy, absence of youth-inclusive basic government services, limited access to credit services, substance Abuse; and lack of technical and entrepreneurial skills and work ethic, and political instability and insecurity as major challenges impeding youths’ socioeconomic and political aspiration, progress and satisfaction. The assessment also identified construction and construction materials, urban agriculture, small and large-scale farming, mining, and manufacturing, and services as the major potential local resources and opportunities for youth livelihood if the fundamental challenges and problems are unraveled. The study highlighted that Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) including HIV, unwanted pregnancy, and unsafe abortion are increasing at an alarming rate. The study revealed that no government and NGOs youth related health awareness education and counseling (related to development and maturation, boy-girl relationships, decision-making about sex, gender issues, sexual abuse and exploitation, sexual and contraceptive negotiation, adoption of contraceptive methods, and pregnancy options) services are available to reverse the situation. Finally, governments, youth, and women associations, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), International Organizations, and communities should provide the most affected youth groups with comprehensive, integrated, all-inclusive, and participatory packages of interventions to help youths lead a better life.

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Postwar Status Needs Challenges and Aspirations of Tigray Youth A Rapid Needs Assessment